Maurya Empire

The Maurya Empire at its largest extent under Ashoka the Great. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi
Imperial Symbol: The Lion Capital of Ashoka
Founder	Chandragupta Maurya
Preceding State(s)	Nanda Dynasty of Magadha Mahajanapadas
Languages	Pali Prakrit Sanskrit
Religions	Buddhism Hinduism Jainism
Capital	Pataliputra
Head of State	Samraat (Emperor)
First Emperor	Chandragupta Maurya
Last Emperor	Brhadrata
Government	Centralized Absolute Monarchy with Divine Right of Kings as described in the Arthashastra
Divisions	4 provinces: Tosali Ujjain Suvarnagiri Taxila Semi-independent tribes
Administration	Inner Council of Ministers (Mantriparishad) under a Mahamantri with a larger assembly of ministers (Mantrinomantriparisadamca). The Lion capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four " Indian lions quot standing back to back Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c The Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India. Mahajanapadas ( Sanskrit: महाजनपद Mahājanapadas) literally "Great Kingdoms" (from Maha, "great" and Janapada A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them Pali ( ISO 15919 / ALA-LC: Pāḷi is a Middle Indo-Aryan language or Prakrit of India. Prakrit (also transliterated as Pracrit) ( Sanskrit: prākṛta प्राकृत (from pra-kṛti प्रकृति according to one Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical The world's principal Religions and spiritual traditions may be classified into a small number of major groups or world religions'. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state Samraat ( Sanskrit samrãṭ) is an Ancient Indian title sometimes translated into modern English as "Emperor" Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Absolute monarchy is a monarchical Form of government where the king and queen have absolute power over everything The Divine Right of Kings is a general term that refers to the philosophy and ideas used to justify the authority and legitimacy of Monarchs in Medieval and The Arthashastra ( IAST: Arthaśāstra) is a Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and Military strategy which Tosali or Toshali was an ancient city in the present day Orissa state in eastern India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ujjain ( Hindi:उज्जैन (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti Kanakagiri is Historical place of India, situated in Karnataka State 20 km North West to Gangavati town For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly. The term administration, as used in the context of Government, differs according to Jurisdiction. The Mantriparishad was the council of ministers that was part of the administrative system of the Maurya Empire in Ancient India. Mantri is a word of Sanskrit origin used in Asian cultures with a Hindu tradition (even those that later adopted Buddhism or Islam) Extensive network of officials from treasurers (Sannidhatas) to collectors (Samahartas) and clerks (Karmikas). Provincial administration under regional viceroys (Kumara or Aryaputra) with their own Mantriparishads and supervisory officials (Mahamattas). A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the Monarch. Provinces divided into districts run by lower officials and similar stratification down to individual villages run by headmen and supervised by Imperial officials (Gopas).
Area	5 million km² [1] (Southern Asia and parts of Central Asia)
Population	50 million [2] (one third of the world population [3])
Currency	Silver Ingots (Panas)
Existed	322–185 BCE
Dissolution	Military coup by Pusyamitra Sunga
Succeeding state	Sunga Empire

A representation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which was erected around 250 BCE. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen An ingot is a material usually metal that is cast into a shape suitable for further processing Coinage of India, issued by Imperial dynasties and smaller Middle kingdoms of India began during the 1st millennium BCE, and consisted This page attempts to list the many extinct States, countries, Nations Empires or territories that have ceased to exist as political Pusyamitra Sunga (B ??? R 185-151 BCE D 151 BCE was the founder and first King of the Sunga Dynasty in Northern India For other uses of the term Sunga see Sunga (disambiguation The Sunga Empire (or Shunga Empire) is a Magadha The Lion capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four " Indian lions quot standing back to back Events By place Egypt Ptolemy II encourages the Jewish residents of Alexandria to have their Bible translated It is the emblem of India. The Emblem of India is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.

The Maurya Empire (322–185 BCE), ruled by the Mauryan dynasty, was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military empire in ancient India. Events By place Macedonian Empire In Babylon, the struggle for the succession to Alexander the Great develops Events By place Roman Republic The Roman general Scipio Africanus and his brother Lucius are accused by Cato The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military A great power is a Nation or State that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale An empire (from the Latin " Imperium " denoting military Command within the ancient Roman government) is a State that This article is about the history of South Asia prior to the Partition of British India in 1947

Originating from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains (modern Bihar and Bengal) in the eastern side of the sub-continent, the empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (near modern Patna). Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India. The Indo-Gangetic Plain also known as the Northern plains and the North Indian River Plain is a large and fertile plain encompassing most of northern and eastern India, Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited The Empire was founded in 322 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya, who had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and began rapidly expanding his power westwards across central and western India taking advantage of the disruptions of local powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by Alexander the Great's Macedonian and Persian armies. Events By place Macedonian Empire In Babylon, the struggle for the succession to Alexander the Great develops Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c The Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Power in international relations is defined in several different ways Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' By 316 BCE the empire had fully occupied Northwestern India, defeating and conquering the satraps left by Alexander. Events By place Macedonian Empire Eumenes and Antigonus, rivals to Cassander for control of Macedonia meet in the Battle

At its greatest extent, the Empire stretched to the north along the natural boundaries of the Himalayas, and to the east stretching into what is now Assam. Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city To the west, it reached beyond modern Pakistan and significant portions of what is now Afghanistan, including the modern Herat and Kandahar provinces and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in Iran. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Herat ( is one the 34 Provinces of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces it makes up the north-western region Kandahar or Qandahar ( Pashto: کندھار, Persian: قندهار) is one of the largest of the thirty-four Provinces of Sistān o Balūchestān ( Persian: استان سیستان و بلوچستان is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Empire was expanded into India's central and southern regions by Emperor Bindusara, but it excluded a small portion of unexplored tribal and forested regions near Kalinga. Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (Born c 320 BC ruled 298 - c Kalinga was a Kingdom in central-eastern India, which comprised most of the modern state of Orissa, as well as some northern areas of the bordering state

The Mauryan Empire was perhaps the largest empire to rule the Indian subcontinent. Its decline began fifty years after Ashoka's rule ended, and it dissolved in 185 BCE with the foundation of the Sunga Dynasty in Magadha. Events By place Roman Republic The Roman general Scipio Africanus and his brother Lucius are accused by Cato For other uses of the term Sunga see Sunga (disambiguation The Sunga Empire (or Shunga Empire) is a Magadha

Under Chandragupta, the Mauryan Empire conquered the trans-Indus region, which was under Macedonian rule. Chandragupta may refer to Chandragupta Maurya, Indian king Mauryan Empire 322–293 BCE Chandragupta I, Indian king Gupta Empire 320-335 Chandragupta then defeated the invasion led by Seleucus I, a Greek general from Alexander's army. Seleucus I (surnamed for later generations Nicator, Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, i Under Chandragupta and his successors, both internal and external trade, and agriculture and economic activities, all thrived and expanded across India thanks to the creation of a single and efficient system of finance, administration and security. After the Kalinga War, the Empire experienced half a century of peace and security under Ashoka: India was a prosperous and stable empire of great economic and military power whose political influence and trade extended across Western and Central Asia and Europe. The Kalinga War ( Sanskrit: कलिन्ग युध्धम् was a war fought between the Mauryan Empire under Ashoka the Great and the state of Mauryan India also enjoyed an era of social harmony, religious transformation, and expansion of the sciences and of knowledge. Chandragupta Maurya's embrace of Jainism increased social and religious renewal and reform across his society, while Ashoka's embrace of Buddhism was the foundation of the reign of social and political peace and non-violence across all of India. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Ashoka sponsored the spreading of Buddhist ideals into Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, West Asia and Mediterranean Europe. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island

Chandragupta's minister Kautilya Chanakya wrote the Arthashastra, one of the greatest treatises on economics, politics, foreign affairs, administration, military arts, war, and religion ever produced in the East. Chanakya Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c 350-283 BC was an adviser and a Prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor The Arthashastra ( IAST: Arthaśāstra) is a Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and Military strategy which Economics is the social science that studies the production distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Archaeologically, the period of Mauryan rule in South Asia falls into the era of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW). The Northern Black Polished Ware culture (NBPW/NBP of the South Asia (ca The Arthashastra and the Edicts of Ashoka are primary sources of written records of the Mauryan times. The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan The Mauryan empire is considered one of the most significant periods in Indian history. The Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath, is the emblem of India. The Lion capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four " Indian lions quot standing back to back This article is about a place in India For H P Lovecraft 's fictitious city see The Doom That Came to Sarnath. The Emblem of India is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Background

Alexander set up a Macedonian garrison and satrapies (vassal states) in the trans-Indus region of modern day Pakistan, ruled previously by kings Ambhi of Taxila and Porus of Pauravas (modern day Jhelum). Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' See also the related deity Satrapes. Satrap (Persian ساتراپ was the name given to the governors of the Provinces of ancient Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Taxiles (in Greek Tαξίλης or Ταξίλας lived 4th century BC) was the Greek chroniclers' name for a prince or king who reigned over the tract For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly. Conflict alliance and comradeship with Alexander Unlike his neighbour Ambhi (in Greek Omphis, King Porus chose to fight Alexander the Great in The Pauravas ( Sanskrit: पौरव was the name given to the many petty kingdoms and tribes of ancient northwestern India (including modern Pakistan)

Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya

Main articles: Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya

Following Alexander's advance into the Punjab, a brahmin named Chanakya (real name Vishnugupt, also known as Kautilya) traveled to Magadha, a kingdom that was large and militarily-powerful and feared by its neighbors, but was dismissed by its king Dhana, of the Nanda Dynasty. Chanakya Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c 350-283 BC was an adviser and a Prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c Punjab ( ਪੰਜਾਬ پنجاب, पंजाब پنجاب also Panjab (پنجاب meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Chanakya Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c 350-283 BC was an adviser and a Prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India. The Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. However, the prospect of battling Magadha deterred Alexander's troops from going further east: he returned to Babylon, and re-deployed most of his troops west of the Indus river. Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd When Alexander died in Babylon, soon after in 323 BCE, his empire fragmented, and local kings declared their independence, leaving several smaller satraps in a disunited state. Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq Events By place Macedonian Empire 10 June — In Babylon, Alexander the Great dies ten days after being taken ill Chandragupta Maurya deposed Dhana. The Greek generals Eudemus, and Peithon, ruled until around 316 BCE, when Chandragupta Maurya (with the help of Chanakya, who was now his advisor) surprised and defeated the Macedonians and consolidated the region under the control of his new seat of power in Magadha. Eudemus (in Greek Eύδημoς; died 316 BC was one of Alexander the Great 's generals who was appointed by him to the command of the troops left in Peithon son of Agenor (?-312 BCE was an officer in the expedition of Alexander the Great to India, who became satrap of the Indus from 325 to 316 BCE and then satrap Events By place Macedonian Empire Eumenes and Antigonus, rivals to Cassander for control of Macedonia meet in the Battle

Statuettes of the Maurya period, 4th-3rd century BCE. Musée Guimet. The Guimet Museum (French Musée national des Arts asiatiques-Guimet or Musée Guimet) is a museum of Asian art located at 6 place d'Iéna in the

Chandragupta Maurya's rise to power is shrouded in mystery and controversy. Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c On the one hand, a number of ancient Indian accounts, such as the drama Mudrarakshasa (Poem of Rakshasa - Rakshasa was the prime minister of Magadha) by Visakhadatta, describe his royal ancestry and even link him with the Nanda family. The Mudrarakshasa (lit The Signet of the Minister) a historical play in Sanskrit by Vishakhadatta (4th century CE narrates the ascent of the king A kshatriya tribe known as the Maurya's are referred to in the earliest Buddhist texts, Mahaparinibbana Sutta. Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय kṣatriya from क्षत्र kṣatra) is one of the four varnas (social orders in Hinduism The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military For the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra see Nirvana Sutra. ---- The Mahaparinibbana Sutta is a Buddhist Sutra in the Digha Nikaya However, any conclusions are hard to make without further historical evidence. Chandragupta first emerges in Greek accounts as "Sandrokottos". Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c As a young man he is said to have met Alexander. ^[4] He is also said to have met the Nanda king, angered him, and made a narrow escape. ^[5] Chanakya's original intentions were to train a guerilla army under Chandragupta's command. The Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadutta as well as the Jaina work Parisishtaparvan talk of Chandragupta's alliance with the Himalayan king Parvatka, sometimes identified with Porus (John Marshall "Taxila", p18, and al. ) This Himalayan alliance gave Chandragupta a composite and powerful army made up of Yavanas (Greeks), Kambojas, Shakas (Scythians), Kiratas (Nepalese), Parasikas (Persians) and Bahlikas (Bactrians)^{[6] [7]}.

With the help of these frontier martial tribes from Central Asia, Chandragupta was able to defeat the Nanda/Nandin rulers of Magadha and found the powerful Maurya empire in northern India.

Conquest of Magadha

Main articles: Chandragupta Maurya, Nanda Dynasty, and Magadha

Mauryan cast copper coin. Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c The Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India. Late 3rd century BCE. The 3rd century BC started the first day of 300 BC and ended the last day of 201 BC British Museum. The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London.

Chanakya encouraged Chandragupta and his army to take over the throne of Magadha. Using his intelligence network, Chandragupta gathered many young men from across Magadha and other provinces, men upset over the corrupt and oppressive rule of king Dhana, plus resources necessary for his army to fight a long series of battles. These men included the former general of Taxila, other accomplished students of Chanakya, the representative of King Porus of Kakayee, his son Malayketu, and the rulers of small states.

Preparing to invade Pataliputra, Maurya hatched a plan. A battle was announced and the Magadhan army was drawn from the city to a distant battlefield to engage Maurya's forces. Maurya's general and spies meanwhile bribed the corrupt general of Nanda. He also managed to create an atmosphere of civil war in the kingdom, which culminated in the death of the heir to the throne. Chanakya managed to win over popular sentiment. Ultimately Nanda resigned, handing power to Chandragupta, and went into exile and was never heard of again. Chanakya contacted the prime minister, Rakshasas, and made him understand that his loyalty was to Magadha, not to the Magadha dynasty, insisting that he continue in office. Chanakya also reiterated that choosing to resist would start a war that would severely affect Magadha and destroy the city. Rakshasa accepted Chanakya's reasoning, and Chandragupta Maurya was legitimately installed as the new King of Magadha. Rakshasa became Chandragupta's chief advisor, and Chanakya assumed the position of an elder statesman.

The approximate extent of the Magadha state in the 5th century BCE. Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India.	The Nanda Empire at its greatest extent under Dhana Nanda circa 323 BCE. The Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha during the 5th and 4th centuries BC.	The Maurya Empire when it was first founded by Chandragupta Maurya circa 320 BCE, after conquering the Nanda Empire when he was only about 20 years old. Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c	Chandragupta extended the borders of the Maurya Empire towards Seleucid Persia after defeating Seleucus circa 305 BCE. The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Seleucus I (surnamed for later generations Nicator, Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, i
Chandragupta extended the borders of the empire southward into the Deccan Plateau circa 300 BC. [8]	Ashoka the Great extended into Kalinga during the Kalinga War circa 265 BCE, and established superiority over the southern kingdoms. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Kalinga was a Kingdom in central-eastern India, which comprised most of the modern state of Orissa, as well as some northern areas of the bordering state The Kalinga War ( Sanskrit: कलिन्ग युध्धम् was a war fought between the Mauryan Empire under Ashoka the Great and the state of

Building India's First Empire

Having become the king of one of India's most powerful states, Chandragupta invaded the Punjab. One of Alexander's richest satraps, Peithon, satrap of Media, had tried to raise a coalition against him. Peithon (about 355 BC - about 314 BC was the son of Crateuas, a nobleman from Eordaia in western Macedonia One of the bodyguards of Alexander the The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. Chandragupta managed to conquer the Punjab capital of Taxila, an important centre of trade and Hellenistic culture, increasing his power and consolidating his control.

Chandragupta Maurya

Main article: Chandragupta Maurya

Chandragupta was again in conflict with the Greeks when Seleucus I, ruler of the Seleucid Empire, tried to reconquer the northwestern parts of India, during a campaign in 305 BCE, but failed. Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c Events By place Macedonian Empire In Babylon, the struggle for the succession to Alexander the Great develops Events By place Roman Republic The Samnites defeat the Romans under Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus in the Battle Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (Born c 320 BC ruled 298 - c Events By place Roman Republic Fabius Maximus Rullianus becomes Consul for the fourth time Events By place Seleucid Empire The Seleucid king Antiochus I Soter is defeated by Egypt's Ptolemy II during Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Events By place Egypt Impressed by Rome's defeat of Pyrrhus, Ptolemy II sends a friendly embassy Events By place Seleucid Empire The Seleucid king Seleucus II Callinicus undertakes an expedition into the interior of Iran to Dasaratha Maurya was Emperor of the Mauryan Empire from 232 BC to 224 BC Events By place Seleucid Empire The Seleucid king Seleucus II Callinicus undertakes an expedition into the interior of Iran to Events By place Greece After the Spartan King Cleomenes III takes Pellene Phlius and Argos, Aratus Samrat Samprati was the son of Ashoka 's blind son Kunal He succeeded Dasaratha Maurya as emperor of the Mauryan Empire and ruled almost the entire Events By place Greece After the Spartan King Cleomenes III takes Pellene Phlius and Argos, Aratus Events By place Carthage The Carthaginians fail to recapture Sardinia. Salisuka Maurya was a king of the Mauryan empire He ruled from 215-202 BCE Events By place Carthage The Carthaginians fail to recapture Sardinia. Events By place Carthage Accused of treason by the Carthaginians after being defeated by the Romans at the Battle of the Devavarman Maurya was a king of the Mauryan empire. He ruled from 202 - 195 B Events By place Carthage Accused of treason by the Carthaginians after being defeated by the Romans at the Battle of the Events By place Carthage Because of his administrative and constitutional reforms in Carthage, Hannibal becomes unpopular with Satadhanvan Maurya was a king of the Mauryan empire He ruled from 195-187 BCE Events By place Carthage Because of his administrative and constitutional reforms in Carthage, Hannibal becomes unpopular with Events By place Seleucid Empire The Seleucid king Antiochus III, mounts a fresh expedition to the east of his kingdom in Events By place Seleucid Empire The Seleucid king Antiochus III, mounts a fresh expedition to the east of his kingdom in Events By place Roman Republic The Roman general Scipio Africanus and his brother Lucius are accused by Cato Seleucus I (surnamed for later generations Nicator, Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, i The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i Events By place Seleucid Empire Seleucus establishes Seleucia on the Tigris River as his capital The two rulers finally concluded a peace treaty: a marital treaty (Epigamia) was concluded, implying either a marital alliance between the two dynastic lines or a recognition of marriage between Greeks and Indians, Chandragupta received the satrapies of Paropamisadae (Kamboja and Gandhara), Arachosia (Kandhahar) and Gedrosia (Balochistan), and Seleucus I received 500 war elephants that were to have a decisive role in his victory against western Hellenistic kings at the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BCE. In ancient Greece Epigamia (Greek language Επιγαμια designated the legal right to contract a marriage Paropamisadae (ˌpærəˌpæmɨˈseɪdiː Παροπαμισάδαι) or Paropamisus (ˌpærəˈpeɪmɨs Παροπαμισσός) was the ancient Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient Arachosia (ˌærəˈkoʊʒə, Arakhōsia) or Arachotae (əˈrækəˌtiː, Arakhōtai) is the latinized form of Greek name of an Achaemenid For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Gedrosia (dʒɨˈdroʊʒə Γεδρωσία is the ancient name of an area that corresponds to today's Balochistan Balochistan or Baluchistan is an arid Region located in the Iranian Plateau in Southwest Seleucus I (surnamed for later generations Nicator, Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, i A war elephant is an Elephant trained and guided by humans for combat This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. The Battle of Ipsus was fought between some of the Diadochi (the successors of Alexander the Great) in 301 BC near the village of that name in Events By Place Asia Minor In The Battle of Ipsus in Phrygia, the armies of Antigonus, the ruler of Syria Diplomatic relations were established and several Greeks, such as the historian Megasthenes, Deimakos and Dionysius resided at the Mauryan court. Megasthenes (Μεγασθένης ca 350 BC - 290 BC was a Greek traveller and Geographer. Deimachus (3rd century BCE (Greek Δηιμάχος in four syllables was a Greek of the Seleucid Empire. Dionysius was a Greek of the 3rd century BCE who was sent as ambassador to the court of the Indian emperor Ashoka, by Ptolemy Philadelphus.

Chandragupta established a strong centralized state with a complex administration at Pataliputra, which, according to Megasthenes, was "surrounded by a wooden wall pierced by 64 gates and 570 towers— (and) rivaled the splendors of contemporaneous Persian sites such as Susa and Ecbatana. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Susa ( Biblical שושן ( Shushan) also Greek: Σοῦσα Transliterated as Sousa; Latin Susa) Ecbatana ( Old Persian: Haŋgmatana, written Agbatana in Aeschylus and Herodotus, Agámtanu by Nabonidos " Chandragupta's son Bindusara extended the rule of the Mauryan empire towards southern India. Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (Born c 320 BC ruled 298 - c He also had a Greek ambassador at his court, named Deimachus (Strabo 1–70). Deimachus (3rd century BCE (Greek Δηιμάχος in four syllables was a Greek of the Seleucid Empire. Strabo ( Greek: Στράβων 63/64 BC – ca AD 24 was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.

Megasthenes describes a disciplined multitude under Chandragupta, who live simply, honestly, and do not know writing:

" The Indians all live frugally, especially when in camp. They dislike a great undisciplined multitude, and consequently they observe good order. Theft is of very rare occurrence. Megasthenes says that those who were in the camp of Sandrakottos, wherein lay 400,000 men, found that the thefts reported on any one day did not exceed the value of two hundred drachmae, and this among a people who have no written laws, but are ignorant of writing, and must therefore in all the business of life trust to memory. They live, nevertheless, happily enough, being simple in their manners and frugal. They never drink wine except at sacrifices. Their beverage is a liquor composed from rice instead of barley, and their food is principally a rice-pottage. " Strabo XV. i. 53-56, quoting Megasthenes^[9]

Bindusara

Main article: Bindusara

Chandragupta died after a reign for 24 years and was succeeded by his son, Bindusara, also known as Amitrochates (destroyer of foes) in Greek accounts, around 298 BCE. Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (Born c 320 BC ruled 298 - c ^[10] Details are scarce regarding Bindusara; however, the incorporation of southern peninsular India is sometimes credited to him. According to Jain tradition, his mother was a woman by the name of Durdhara. The Puranas assign him a reign of 25 years. He has been identified with the Indian title Amitraghata (slayer of Enemies), found in Greek texts as Amitrochates.

Ashoka the Great

Main article: Ashoka the Great

Emperor Ashoka (a depiction)

The distribution of the Edicts of Ashoka. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan ^[11] is a concrete indication of the extent of Ashoka's rule. To the West, it went as far as Kandahar (where the Edicts were written in Greek and Aramaic), and bordered the contemporary Hellenistic metropolis of Ai Khanoum. For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Aramaic is a Semitic language with Ai-Khanoum or Ay Khanum (lit “Lady Moon” in Uzbek, probably the historical Alexandria on the Oxus, also possibly later named Eucratidia

Chandragupta's grandson Ashokavardhan Maurya, better known as Ashoka the Great (ruled 273- 232 BCE), is considered by contemporary historians to be perhaps the greatest of Indian monarchs, and perhaps the world. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Events By place Egypt Impressed by Rome's defeat of Pyrrhus, Ptolemy II sends a friendly embassy Events By place Seleucid Empire The Seleucid king Seleucus II Callinicus undertakes an expedition into the interior of Iran to H. G. Wells calls him the "greatest of kings".

As a young prince, Ashoka was a brilliant commander who crushed revolts in Ujjain and Taxila. As monarch he was ambitious and aggressive, re-asserting the Empire's superiority in southern and western India. But it was his conquest of Kalinga which proved to be the pivotal event of his life. Kalinga was a Kingdom in central-eastern India, which comprised most of the modern state of Orissa, as well as some northern areas of the bordering state Although Ashoka's army succeeded in overwhelming Kalinga forces of royal soldiers and civilian units, an estimated 100,000 soldiers and civilians were killed in the furious warfare, including over 10,000 of Ashoka's own men. Hundreds of thousands of people were adversely affected by the destruction and fallout of war. When he personally witnessed the devastation, Ashoka began feeling remorse, and he cried 'what have I done?'. Although the annexation of Kalinga was completed, Ashoka embraced the teachings of Gautama Buddha, and renounced war and violence. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder For a monarch in ancient times, this was an historic feat.

Ashoka implemented principles of ahimsa by banning hunting and violent sports activity and ending indentured and forced labor (many thousands of people in war-ravaged Kalinga had been forced into hard labor and servitude). Ahimsa ( Devanagari: sa अहिंसा IAST ahiṃsā is a Sanskrit term meaning Non-violence (literally the avoidance of violence - While he maintained a large and powerful army, to keep the peace and maintain authority, Ashoka expanded friendly relations with states across Asia and Europe, and he sponsored Buddhist missions. He undertook a massive public works building campaign across the country. Over 40 years of peace, harmony and prosperity made Ashoka one of the most successful and famous monarchs in Indian history. He remains an idealized figure of inspiration in modern India.

The Edicts of Ashoka, set in stone, are found throughout the Subcontinent. The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Ranging from as far west as Afghanistan and as far south as Andhra (Nellore District), Ashoka's edicts state his policies and accomplishments. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Although predominantly written in Prakrit, two of them were written in Greek, and one in both Greek and Aramaic. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Aramaic is a Semitic language with Ashoka's edicts refer to the Greeks, Kambojas, and Gandharas as peoples forming a frontier region of his empire. The Kambojas were a Kshatriya Tribe of Iron Age India, frequently mentioned in ( post-Vedic) Sanskrit and Pali literature Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient They also attest to Ashoka's having sent envoys to the Greek rulers in the West as far as the Mediterranean. The edicts precisely name each of the rulers of the Hellenic world at the time such as Amtiyoko (Antiochus), Tulamaya (Ptolemy), Amtikini (Antigonos), Maka (Magas) and Alikasudaro (Alexander) as recipients of Ashoka's proselytism. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Antiochus II Theos (286 BC&ndash246 BC was a king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Kingdom who reigned 261 BC&ndash246 BC Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( Greek:, Ptolemaĩos Philádelphos, 309 BC&ndash246 BC was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BC to 246 BC Antigonus II Gonatas (lit "knock-knees" ( Greek Αντίγονος B΄ Γονατᾶς ca Magas of Cyrene (r 276 - 250 BCE was a Greek king of Cyrene (today's Libya) Alexander II was a king of Epirus, and the son of Pyrrhus and Lanassa the daughter of the Sicilian tyrant Agathocles. The Edicts also accurately locate their territory "600 yojanas away" (a yojanas being about 7 miles), corresponding to the distance between the center of India and Greece (roughly 4,000 miles). ^[12]

Administration

Mauryan ringstone, with standing goddess. Northwest Pakistan. 3rd century BCE. British Museum. The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London.

The Empire was divided into four provinces, with the imperial capital at Pataliputra. From Ashokan edicts, the names of the four provincial capitals are Tosali (in the east), Ujjain in the west, Suvarnagiri (in the south), and Taxila (in the north). WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ujjain ( Hindi:उज्जैन (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly. The head of the provincial administration was the Kumara (royal prince), who governed the provinces as king's representative. The kumara was assisted by Mahamatyas and council of ministers. This organizational structure was reflected at the imperial level with the Emperor and his Mantriparishad (Council of Ministers).

Historians theorize that the organization of the Empire was in line with the extensive bureaucracy described by Kautilya in the Arthashastra: a sophisticated civil service governed everything from municipal hygiene to international trade. Chanakya Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c 350-283 BC was an adviser and a Prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor The Arthashastra ( IAST: Arthaśāstra) is a Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and Military strategy which The expansion and defense of the empire was made possible by what appears to have been the largest standing army of its time. According to Megasthenes, the empire wielded a military of 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 war elephants. A vast espionage system collected intelligence for both internal and external security purposes. Having renounced offensive warfare and expansionism, Ashoka nevertheless continued to maintain this large army, to protect the Empire and instill stability and peace across West and South Asia.

Economy

Silver punch mark coin of the Mauryan empire, with symbols of wheel and elephant. 3rd century BCE.

For the first time in South Asia, political unity and military security allowed for a common economic system and enhanced trade and commerce, with increased agricultural productivity. The previous situation involving hundreds of kingdoms, many small armies, powerful regional chieftains, and internecine warfare, gave way to a disciplined central authority. Farmers were freed of tax and crop collection burdens from regional kings, paying instead to a nationally-administered and strict-but-fair system of taxation as advised by the principles in the Arthashastra. Chandragupta Maurya established a single currency across India, and a network of regional governors and administrators and a civil service provided justice and security for merchants, farmers and traders. The Mauryan army wiped out many gangs of bandits, regional private armies, and powerful chieftains who sought to impose their own supremacy in small areas. Although regimental in revenue collection, Maurya also sponsored many public works and waterways to enhance productivity, while internal trade in India expanded greatly due to newfound political unity and internal peace.

Under the Indo-Greek friendship treaty, and during Ashoka's reign, an international network of trade expanded. The Khyber Pass, on the modern boundary of Pakistan and Afghanistan, became a strategically-important port of trade and intercourse with the outside world. The Khyber Pass, (also spelled Khaiber or Khaybar (درہ خیبر (altitude  m   ft is the Mountain pass that links Pakistan and Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Greek states and Hellenic kingdoms in West Asia became important trade partners of India. Trade also extended through the Malay peninsula into Southeast Asia. The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula (Semenanjung Tanah Melayu (คาบสมุทรมลายู is a major Peninsula located in Southeast India's exports included silk goods and textiles, spices and exotic foods. The Empire was enriched further with an exchange of scientific knowledge and technology with Europe and West Asia. Ashoka also sponsored the construction of thousands of roads, waterways, canals, hospitals, rest-houses and other public works. The easing of many overly-rigorous administrative practices, including those regarding taxation and crop collection, helped increase productivity and economic activity across the Empire.

In many ways, the economic situation in the Maurya Empire is comparable to the Roman Empire several centuries later, which both had extensive trade connections and both had organizations similar to corporations. A corporation is a separate legal entity usually used to conduct business While Rome had organizational entities which were largely used for public state-driven projects, Mauryan India had numerous private commercial entities which existed purely for private commerce. This was due to the Mauryas having to contend with pre-existing private commercial entities hence they were more concerned about keeping the support of these pre-existing organizations, while the Romans did not have such pre-existing entities to contend with hence they were able to prevent such entities from developing. ^[13] (See also Economic history of India. Economic history of India, in the sense of the meaning of the term economic in its current sense is at least 5000 years old )

Religion

Buddhist stupas during the Mauryan period were simple mounds without decorations. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m स्तूप stūpa, literally meaning "heap" is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist Butkara stupa, 3rd century BCE. The Butkara Stupa is an important Buddhist shrine in the area of Swat, Pakistan. ^[14]

Buddhist proselytism at the time of king Ashoka (260-218 BCE). Proselytism is the practice of attempting to convert people to another opinion and particularly another religion Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Events By place Roman Republic The Roman advance continues westward from Agrigentum with their forces relieving the besieged Events By place Carthage A Carthaginian army under Hannibal attacks Rome's Spanish allies

Balarama, holding mace and conch (lower right) on a Maurya coin. Balarama (बलराम Balarāma) also named Baladeva, Baldau, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine Balarama was originally a powerful independent deity of Hinduism, and later became an avatar of Vishnu. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific 3rd-2nd century CE. British Museum. The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London.

Jainism

Emperor Chandragupta Maurya became the first major Indian monarch to initiate a religious transformation at the highest level when he embraced Jainism, a religious movement resented by orthodox Hindu priests who usually attended the imperial court. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. At an older age, Chandragupta renounced his throne and material possessions to join a wandering group of Jain monks. Chandragupta was a disciple of Acharya Bhadrabahu. Acharya Bhadrabahu (433 BC - 357 BC ? was a Jain monk He is more famously known as a spiritual teacher of Chandragupta Maurya and author of several texts related It is said that in his last days, he observed the rigorous but self purifying Jain ritual of santhara i. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Santhara (also Sallekhana, Santhara, Samadhi-marana, Samnyasa-marana) is the Jain religious ritual of voluntary death by Fasting e. fast unto death, at Shravan Belagola in Karnatka. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India However, his successor, Emperor Bindusara, preserved Hindu traditions and distanced himself from Jain and Buddhist movements. Samprati, the grandson of Ashoka also embraced Jainism. Samrat Samprati was the son of Ashoka 's blind son Kunal He succeeded Dasaratha Maurya as emperor of the Mauryan Empire and ruled almost the entire Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Samrat Samprati was influenced by the teachings of Jain monk Arya Suhasti Suri and he is known to have built 1,25,000 Jain Temples across India. A dehrasar is a Temple for followers of Jainism. Jain idols of Tirthankaras are worshipped there Some of them are still found in towns of Ahmedabad, Viramgam, Ujjain & Palitana. It is also said that just like Ashoka, Samprati sent messengers & preachers to Greece, Persia & middle-east for the spread of Jainism. But till date no research has been done in this area. Thus, Jainism became a vital force under the Mauryan Rule. Chandragupta & Samprati, are credited for spread of Jainism in Southern India. Chandragupta may refer to Chandragupta Maurya, Indian king Mauryan Empire 322–293 BCE Chandragupta I, Indian king Gupta Empire 320-335 Samrat Samprati was the son of Ashoka 's blind son Kunal He succeeded Dasaratha Maurya as emperor of the Mauryan Empire and ruled almost the entire Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Lakhs of Jain Temples & Jain Stupas were erected during their reign. A dehrasar is a Temple for followers of Jainism. Jain idols of Tirthankaras are worshipped there But due to lack of royal patronage & its strict principles, along with rise of Shankaracharya & Ramanujacharya, Jainism,once the major religion of southern India, declined. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India.

Buddhism

But when Ashoka embraced Buddhism, following the Kalinga War, he renounced expansionism and aggression, and the harsher injunctions of the Arthashastra on the use of force, intensive policing, and ruthless measures for tax collection and against rebels. Ashoka sent a mission led by his son and daughter to Sri Lanka, whose king Tissa was so charmed with Buddhist ideals that he adopted them himself and made Buddhism the state religion. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Ashoka sent many Buddhist missions to West Asia, Greece and South East Asia, and commissioned the construction of monasteries, schools and publication of Buddhist literature across the empire. He is believed to have built as many as 84,000 stupas across India, and he increased the popularity of Buddhism in Afghanistan. Ashoka helped convene the Third Buddhist Council of India and South Asia's Buddhist orders, near his capital, a council that undertook much work of reform and expansion of the Buddhist religion. Lists and numbering of Buddhist councils vary between and even within schools

Hinduism

While himself a Buddhist, Ashoka retained the membership of Hindu priests and ministers in his court, and he maintained religious freedom and tolerance although the Buddhist faith grew in popularity with his patronage. Indian society began embracing the philosophy of ahimsa, and given the increased prosperity and improved law enforcement, crime and internal conflicts reduced dramatically. Ahimsa ( Devanagari: sa अहिंसा IAST ahiṃsā is a Sanskrit term meaning Non-violence (literally the avoidance of violence - Also greatly discouraged was the caste system and orthodox discrimination, as Hinduism began to absorb the ideals and values of Jain and Buddhist teachings. Castes are Hereditary systems of occupation, Endogamy, social culture, Social class, and Political power. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Social freedom began expanding in an age of peace and prosperity.

Architectural remains

Mauryan architecture in the Barabar Mounts. The Barabar Caves are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, of Ashoka (r Grottoe of Lomas Richi. 3rd century BCE.

Architectural remains of the Maurya period are rather few. Remains of a hypostyle building with about 80 columns of a height of about 10 meters have been found in Kumrahâr near Patna, and is one of the very few site that has been connected to the rule of the Mauryas in that city. In Architecture, a hypostyle Hall has a flat ceiling which is supported by columns as in the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak. Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited The style is rather reminiscent of Persian Achaemenid architecture. ^[15]

The grottoes of Barâbar are another example of Mauryan architecture, especially the decorated front of the Lomas Rishi grotto. These were offered by the Mauryas to the Buddhist sect of the Ajivikas. ^[16]

The most widespread example of Maurya architecture are the Pillars of Ashoka, often exquisitely decorated, with more than 40 spread throughout the sub-continent. The pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the northern Indian subcontinent and erected by the Mauryan king Ashoka during his reign in

Natural history in the times of the Mauryas

The protection of animals in India became serious business by the time of the Maurya dynasty; being the first empire to provide a unified political entity in India, the attitude of the Mauryas towards forests, its denizens and fauna in general is of interest.

The Mauryas firstly looked at forests as a resource. For them, the most important forest product was the elephant. Military might in those times depended not only upon horses and men but also battle-elephants; these played a role in the defeat of Seleucus, Alexander's governor of the Punjab. Alexander is a common male first name Origin The name in English is taken from the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros The Mauryas sought to preserve supplies of elephants since it was cheaper and took less time to catch, tame and train wild elephants than to raise them. Kautilya's Arthashastra contains not only maxims on ancient statecraft, but also unambiguously specifies the responsibilities of officials such as the Protector of the Elephant Forests:^[17]

On the border of the forest, he should establish a forest for elephants guarded by foresters. Chanakya Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c 350-283 BC was an adviser and a Prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor The Arthashastra ( IAST: Arthaśāstra) is a Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and Military strategy which The Superintendent should with the help of guards. . . protect the elephants whether along on the mountain, along a river, along lakes or in marshy tracts. . . They should kill anyone slaying an elephant.

—Arthashastra

The Mauryas also designated separate forests to protect supplies of timber, as well as lions and tigers, for skins. The Arthashastra ( IAST: Arthaśāstra) is a Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and Military strategy which Elsewhere the Protector of Animals also worked to eliminate thieves, tigers and other predators to render the woods safe for grazing cattle.

The Mauryas valued certain forest tracts in strategic or economic terms and instituted curbs and control measures over them. They regarded all forest tribes with distrust and controlled them with bribery and political subjugation. They employed some of them, the food-gatherers or aranyaca to guard borders and trap animals. The sometimes tense and conflict-ridden relationship nevertheless enabled the Mauryas to guard their vast empire. ^[18]

When Ashoka embraced Buddhism in the latter part of his reign, he brought about significant changes in his style of governance, which included providing protection to fauna, and even relinquished the royal hunt. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices He was perhaps the first ruler in history to advocate conservation measures for wildlife and even had rules inscribed in stone edicts. The edicts proclaim that many followed the king's example in giving up the slaughter of animals; one of them proudly states:^[18]

Our king killed very few animals.

—Edict on Fifth Pillar

However, the edicts of Ashoka reflect more the desire of rulers than actual events; the mention of a 100 'panas' (coins) fine for poaching deer in royal hunting preserves shows that rule-breakers did exist. The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan The legal restrictions conflicted with the practices freely exercised by the common people in hunting, felling, fishing and setting fires in forests. ^[18]

Contacts with the Hellenistic world

Mauryan Statuette, 2nd Century BCE.

Foundation of the Empire

Relations with the Hellenistic world may have started from the very beginning of the Maurya Empire. Plutarch reports that Chandragupta Maurya met with Alexander the Great, probably around Taxila in the northwest:

"Androcottus, when he was a stripling, saw Alexander himself, and we are told that he often said in later times that Alexander narrowly missed making himself master of the country, since its king was hated and despised on account of his baseness and low birth. Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ( Greek: Μέστριος Πλούταρχος c Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly. " Plutarch 62-3^[19]

Reconquest of the Northwest (c. 310 BCE)

Chandragupta ultimately occupied Northwestern India, in the territories formerly ruled by the Greeks, where he fought the satraps (described as "Prefects" in Western sources) left in place after Alexander (Justin), among whom may have been Eudemus, ruler in the western Punjab until his departure in 317 BCE or Peithon, son of Agenor, ruler of the Greek colonies along the Indus until his departure for Babylon in 316 BCE. Eudemus (in Greek Eύδημoς; died 316 BC was one of Alexander the Great 's generals who was appointed by him to the command of the troops left in Events By place Macedonian Empire Seleucus joins Antigonus against Eumenes and recaptures Babylon. Peithon son of Agenor (?-312 BCE was an officer in the expedition of Alexander the Great to India, who became satrap of the Indus from 325 to 316 BCE and then satrap Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq Events By place Macedonian Empire Eumenes and Antigonus, rivals to Cassander for control of Macedonia meet in the Battle

"India, after the death of Alexander, had assassinated his prefects, as if shaking the burden of servitude. The author of this liberation was Sandracottos, but he had transformed liberation in servitude after victory, since, after taking the throne, he himself oppressed the very people he has liberated from foreign domination" Justin XV. 4. 12-13^[20]

"Later, as he was preparing war against the prefects of Alexander, a huge wild elephant went to him and took him on his back as if tame, and he became a remarkable fighter and war leader. Having thus acquired royal power, Sandracottos possessed India at the time Seleucos was preparing future glory. " Justin XV. 4. 19^[21]

Conflict and alliance with Seleucus (305 BCE)

Silver coin of Seleucus I Nicator, who fought Chandragupta Maurya, and later made an alliance with him. Seleucus I (surnamed for later generations Nicator, Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, i

Seleucus I Nicator, the Macedonian satrap of the Asian portion of Alexander's former empire, conquered and put under his own authority eastern territories as far as Bactria and the Indus (Appian, History of Rome, The Syrian Wars 55), until in 305 BCE he entered in a confrontation with Chandragupta:

"Always lying in wait for the neighboring nations, strong in arms and persuasive in council, he [Seleucus] acquired Mesopotamia, Armenia, 'Seleucid' Cappadocia, Persis, Parthia, Bactria, Arabia, Tapouria, Sogdia, Arachosia, Hyrcania, and other adjacent peoples that had been subdued by Alexander, as far as the river Indus, so that the boundaries of his empire were the most extensive in Asia after that of Alexander. Seleucus I (surnamed for later generations Nicator, Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, i See also the related deity Satrapes. Satrap (Persian ساتراپ was the name given to the governors of the Provinces of ancient The whole region from Phrygia to the Indus was subject to Seleucus. " Appian, History of Rome, The Syrian Wars 55^[22]

Though no accounts of the conflict remain, it is clear that Seleucus fared poorly against the Indian Emperor as he failed in conquering any territory, and in fact, was forced to surrender much that was already his. Regardless, Seleucus and Chandragupta ultimately reached a settlement and through a treaty sealed in 305 BCE, Seleucus, according to Strabo, ceded a number of territories to Chandragupta, including southern Afghanistan and parts of Persia. Events By place Seleucid Empire Seleucus establishes Seleucia on the Tigris River as his capital Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics.

Accordingly, Seleucus obtained five hundred war elephants, a military asset which would play a decisive role at the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BCE. The Battle of Ipsus was fought between some of the Diadochi (the successors of Alexander the Great) in 301 BC near the village of that name in Events By Place Asia Minor In The Battle of Ipsus in Phrygia, the armies of Antigonus, the ruler of Syria

Marital alliance

A matrimonial alliance was also agreed upon (called Epigamia in ancient sources, meaning either the recognition of marriage between trans-indus inhabitants and Greeks, or a dynastic alliance):

"He (Seleucus) crossed the Indus and waged war with Sandrocottus [Maurya], king of the Indians, who dwelt on the banks of that stream, until they came to an understanding with each other and contracted a marriage relationship. In ancient Greece Epigamia (Greek language Επιγαμια designated the legal right to contract a marriage " Appian, History of Rome, The Syrian Wars 55^[23]

It is generally thought that there was an marital alliance made between a Seleucid princess and Chandragupta, and that the Seleucid princess may have been bethrothed to the Mauryan Dynasty. This practice in itself was quite common in the Hellenistic world to formalize alliances. There is thus a possibility that some of the descendants of Chandragupta were partly of Hellenic descent, whether Chandragupta married the Seleucid princess, or his son Bindusara, and that the Maurya dynasty was considered as closely connected to the Seleucid one. ^[24] Bindusara himself, born earlier around 320 BCE, could not have been the result of such a union, but he may have been the one who married the Seleucid princess, just before his rise as Emperor in 298 BCE. Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (Born c 320 BC ruled 298 - c ^[25]

Although Indian sources mention him as the son of brahmin woman, the marriage arrangement has led some to suggest that Ashoka may have been a product of this union with a Seleucid princess^[26] although the general view is that Ashoka was born from a Brahmin mother who was a minor queen of Bindusara, based on the account of the 2nd century CE Ashokavadana ("Legend of Ashoka"). Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (Born c 320 BC ruled 298 - c The Ashokavadana ( Sanskrit: अशॊकवदन "Narrative of Ashoka" is a 2nd century CE document related to the legend of the Maurya Emperor Ashoka ^[27] The practice of Mauryan rulers to have harems is repeatedly mentioned in sources such as the Ashokavadana however, which would suggest a multiplicity of bloodlines and a numerous descent for each king. HAREM is the first evaluation contest of Named entity recognition (NER for Portuguese and its call for participation was announced in September 2004

At the very least, this treaty on "Epigamia" implies lawful marriage between Greeks and Indians was recognized at the State level, although it is unclear whether it occurred among dynastic rulers or common people, or both. In ancient Greece Epigamia (Greek language Επιγαμια designated the legal right to contract a marriage

Exchange of ambassadors

Seleucus dispatched an ambassador, Megasthenes, to Chandragupta, and later Deimakos to his son Bindusara, at the Mauryan court at Pataliputra (Modern Patna in Bihar state). Megasthenes (Μεγασθένης ca 350 BC - 290 BC was a Greek traveller and Geographer. Deimachus (3rd century BCE (Greek Δηιμάχος in four syllables was a Greek of the Seleucid Empire. Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (Born c 320 BC ruled 298 - c Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. Later Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt and contemporary of Ashoka, is also recorded by Pliny the Elder as having sent an ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court. Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( Greek:, Ptolemaĩos Philádelphos, 309 BC&ndash246 BC was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BC to 246 BC Ptolemaic Egypt began when Ptolemy I Soter declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt in 305 BC and ended with the death of queen Cleopatra Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author Dionysius was a Greek of the 3rd century BCE who was sent as ambassador to the court of the Indian emperor Ashoka, by Ptolemy Philadelphus. The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military ^[28]

Exchange of presents

Classical sources have also recorded that following their treaty, Chandragupta and Seleucus exchanged presents, such as when Chandragupta sent various aphrodisiacs to Seleucus:

"And Theophrastus says that some contrivances are of wondrous efficacy in such matters [as to make people more amorous]. And Phylarchus confirms him, by reference to some of the presents which Sandrakottus, the king of the Indians, sent to Seleucus; which were to act like charms in producing a wonderful degree of affection, while some, on the contrary, were to banish love" Athenaeus of Naucratis, "The deipnosophists" Book I, chapter 32^[29]

His son Bindusara 'Amitraghata' (Slayer of Enemies) also is recorded in Classical sources as having exchanged present with Antiochus I:

"But dried figs were so very much sought after by all men (for really, as Aristophanes says, "There's really nothing nicer than dried figs"), that even Amitrochates, the king of the Indians, wrote to Antiochus, entreating him (it is Hegesander who tells this story) to buy and send him some sweet wine, and some dried figs, and a sophist; and that Antiochus wrote to him in answer, "The dry figs and the sweet wine we will send you; but it is not lawful for a sophist to be sold in Greece" Athenaeus, "Deipnosophistae" XIV. Athenaeus ( Ancient Greek - Athếnaios Naukratios Latin Athenaeus Naucratita of Naucratis in Egypt Greek rhetorician and grammarian flourished The Deipnosophistae ( deipnon, "dinner" and sophistai, "professors" original Greek title, Deipnosophistai, English Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (Born c 320 BC ruled 298 - c Antiochus I Soter (unknown - 261 BC was a king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. Aristophanes (Ἀριστοφάνης ˌærɪˈstɒfəniːz in English ca Antiochus I Soter (unknown - 261 BC was a king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. "Agesander" redirects here For other uses of this name see Agesander (disambiguation. Athenaeus ( Ancient Greek - Athếnaios Naukratios Latin Athenaeus Naucratita of Naucratis in Egypt Greek rhetorician and grammarian flourished The Deipnosophistae ( deipnon, "dinner" and sophistai, "professors" original Greek title, Deipnosophistai, English 67^[30]

Greek populations in India

Greek populations apparently remained in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent under Ashoka's rule. In his Edicts of Ashoka, set in stone, some of them written in Greek, Ashoka describes that Greek populations within his realm converted to Buddhism:

"Here in the king's domain among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-Gods' instructions in Dharma. The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan The Kambojas were a Kshatriya Tribe of Iron Age India, frequently mentioned in ( post-Vedic) Sanskrit and Pali literature The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious " Rock Edict Nb13 (S. The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Dhammika).

Bilingual edict (Greek and Aramaic) by king Ashoka, from Kandahar. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Aramaic is a Semitic language with For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Kabul Museum. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with (Click image for translation).

Fragments of Edict 13 have been found in Greek, and a full Edict, written in both Greek and Aramaic has been discovered in Kandahar. For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and It is said to be written in excellent Classical Greek, using sophisticated philosophical terms. In this Edict, Ashoka uses the word Eusebeia ("Piety") as the Greek translation for the ubiquitous "Dharma" of his other Edicts written in Prakrit:

"Ten years (of reign) having been completed, King Piodasses (Ashoka) made known (the doctrine of) Piety (εὐσέβεια, Eusebeia) to men; and from this moment he has made men more pious, and everything thrives throughout the whole world. Eusebeia (Greekεὐσέβεια from eu meaning "well" and sebomai meaning "reverence" itself formed from seb meaning sacred awe In spiritual terminology piety is a Virtue. While different people may understand its meaning differently it is generally used to refer either to religious devotion The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Prakrit (also transliterated as Pracrit) ( Sanskrit: prākṛta प्राकृत (from pra-kṛti प्रकृति according to one Eusebeia (Greekεὐσέβεια from eu meaning "well" and sebomai meaning "reverence" itself formed from seb meaning sacred awe And the king abstains from (killing) living beings, and other men and those who (are) huntsmen and fishermen of the king have desisted from hunting. And if some (were) intemperate, they have ceased from their intemperance as was in their power; and obedient to their father and mother and to the elders, in opposition to the past also in the future, by so acting on every occasion, they will live better and more happily. " (Trans. by G. P. Carratelli [1])

Buddhist missions to the West (c. 250 BCE)

Front view of the single lion capital in Vaishali.

Also, in the Edicts of Ashoka, Ashoka mentions the Hellenistic kings of the period as a recipient of his Buddhist proselytism, although no Western historical record of this event remain:

"The conquest by Dharma has been won here, on the borders, and even six hundred yojanas (5,400-9,600 km) away, where the Greek king Antiochos rules, beyond there where the four kings named Ptolemy, Antigonos, Magas and Alexander rule, likewise in the south among the Cholas, the Pandyas, and as far as Tamraparni (Sri Lanka). The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious A yojana (Hindi: योजन) is a Vedic measure of distance used in ancient India. Antiochus II Theos (286 BC&ndash246 BC was a king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Kingdom who reigned 261 BC&ndash246 BC Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( Greek:, Ptolemaĩos Philádelphos, 309 BC&ndash246 BC was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BC to 246 BC Antigonus II Gonatas (lit "knock-knees" ( Greek Αντίγονος B΄ Γονατᾶς ca Magas of Cyrene (r 276 - 250 BCE was a Greek king of Cyrene (today's Libya) Alexander II was a king of Epirus, and the son of Pyrrhus and Lanassa the daughter of the Sicilian tyrant Agathocles. Origin The origin of the word “Pandya” has been a subject of much speculation Tamraparni is an ancient region of southern India corresponding to the area of a Tamraparni river in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island " (Edicts of Ashoka, 13th Rock Edict, S. The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Dhammika).

Ashoka also claims that he encouraged the development of herbal medicine, for men and animals, in their territories:

"Everywhere within Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi's [Ashoka's] domain, and among the people beyond the borders, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as far as Tamraparni and where the Greek king Antiochos rules, and among the kings who are neighbors of Antiochos, everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Herbalism is a traditional Medicinal or Folk medicine practice based on the use of Plants and Plant extracts Herbalism is also known as Origin The origin of the word “Pandya” has been a subject of much speculation Tamraparni is an ancient region of southern India corresponding to the area of a Tamraparni river in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. Antiochus II Theos (286 BC&ndash246 BC was a king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Kingdom who reigned 261 BC&ndash246 BC Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals. " 2nd Rock Edict

The Greeks in India even seem to have played an active role in the propagation of Buddhism, as some of the emissaries of Ashoka, such as Dharmaraksita, are described in Pali sources as leading Greek ("Yona") Buddhist monks, active in Buddhist proselytism (the Mahavamsa, XII^[31]). The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan For the teacher of Atisha, see Dharmarakshita (Sumatran. Dharmarakṣita ( Sanskrit) or Dhammarakkhita ( Pali) ( Pali ( ISO 15919 / ALA-LC: Pāḷi is a Middle Indo-Aryan language or Prakrit of India. "Yona" is a Pali word used in ancient India to designate Greek speakers The Mahavamsa, ("Great Chronicle " is a historical poem written in the Pali language of the kings of Sri Lanka.

Subhagsena and Antiochos III (206 BCE)

Sophagasenus was an Indian Mauryan ruler of the 3rd century BCE, described in ancient Greek sources, and named Subhagsena or Subhashsena in Prakrit. Sophagasenos or Sophagasenus ( Sanskrit: Subhagasena) was a local Indian king ruling in Kabul and Kapisa valley ( Paropamisade The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military Prakrit (also transliterated as Pracrit) ( Sanskrit: prākṛta प्राकृत (from pra-kṛti प्रकृति according to one His name is mentionned in the list of Mauryan princes, and also in the list of the Yadava dynasty, as a descendant of Pradyumana. He may have been a grandson of Ashoka, or Kunala, the son of Ashoka. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi He ruled an area south of the Hindu Kush, possibly in Gandhara. The Hindu Kush is a Mountain range located between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient Antiochos III, the Seleucid king, after having made peace with Euthydemus in Bactria, went to India in 206 BC and is said to have renewed his friendship with the Indian king there:

"He (Antiochus) crossed the Caucasus and descended into India; renewed his friendship with Sophagasenus the king of the Indians; received more elephants, until he had a hundred and fifty altogether; and having once more provisioned his troops, set out again personally with his army: leaving Androsthenes of Cyzicus the duty of taking home the treasure which this king had agreed to hand over to him. Antiochus III the Great, ( Greek; ca 241&ndash187 BC ruled 222&ndash187 BC younger son of Seleucus II Callinicus The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i "Bactrian" redirects here For the camel see Bactrian camel. " Polybius 11.39

Decline

Ashoka was followed for 50 years by a succession of weaker kings. Brhadrata, the last ruler of the Mauryan dynasty, held territories that had shrunk considerably from the time of emperor Ashoka, although he still upheld the Buddhist faith. The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi

Sunga coup (185 BCE)

He was assassinated in 185 BCE during a military parade, by the commander-in-chief of his guard, the Brahmin general Pusyamitra Sunga, who then took over the throne and established the Sunga dynasty. Events By place Roman Republic The Roman general Scipio Africanus and his brother Lucius are accused by Cato Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Pusyamitra Sunga (B ??? R 185-151 BCE D 151 BCE was the founder and first King of the Sunga Dynasty in Northern India For other uses of the term Sunga see Sunga (disambiguation The Sunga Empire (or Shunga Empire) is a Magadha Buddhist records such as the Asokavadana write that the assassination of Brhadrata and the rise of the Sunga empire led to a wave of persecution for Buddhists,^[32] and a resurgence of Hinduism. The Ashokavadana ( Sanskrit: अशॊकवदन "Narrative of Ashoka" is a 2nd century CE document related to the legend of the Maurya Emperor Ashoka A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. According to John Marshall,^[33] Pusyamitra may have been the main author of the persecutions, although later Sunga kings seem to have been more supportive of Buddhism. John Marshall (September 24 1755 – July 6 1835 was an American statesman and jurist who shaped American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a center of power Other historians, such as Etienne Lamotte^[34] andRomila Thapar,^[35] among others, have argued that archaeological evidence in favor of the allegations of persecution of Buddhists are lacking, and that the extent and magnitude of the atrocities have been exaggerated. Étienne Paul Marie Lamotte (1903–1983 was a Belgian Jesuit priest and Professor of Greek at the Catholic University of Louvain, but was better known Romila Thapar (born 1931 is an Indian Historian whose principal area of study is ancient India.

Establishment of the Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BCE)

Main article: Indo-Greek kingdom

The fall of the Mauryas left the Khyber Pass unguarded, and a wave of foreign invasion followed. The Indo-Greek Kingdom (or sometimes Graeco-Indian Kingdom) covered various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent during the last two centuries The Khyber Pass, (also spelled Khaiber or Khaybar (درہ خیبر (altitude  m   ft is the Mountain pass that links Pakistan and The Greco-Bactrian king, Demetrius, capitalized on the break-up, and he conquered southern Afghanistan and Pakistan around 180 BC, forming the Indo-Greek Kingdom. The Gr(aeco-Bactrian Kingdom was the easternmost part of the Hellenistic world covering Bactria and Sogdiana in Central Asia from 250 Demetrius I (ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ was a Greco-Bactrian king (reigned circa 200-180 BC The Indo-Greek Kingdom (or sometimes Graeco-Indian Kingdom) covered various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent during the last two centuries The Indo-Greeks would maintain holdings on the trans-Indus region, and make forays into central India, for about a century. Under them, Buddhism flourished, and one of their kings Menander became a famous figure of Buddhism, he was to establish a new capital of Sagala, the modern city of Sialkot. Menander I Soter "The Saviour" (known as Milinda in Indian sources was one of the rulers of the Indo-Greek Kingdom in northern India Sialkot ( Urdu / Punjabi:) the capital of Sialkot District, is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in However, the extent of their domains and the lengths of their rule are subject to much debate. Numismatic evidence indicates that they retained holdings in the subcontinent right up to the birth of Christ. Although the extent of their successes against indigenous powers such as the Sungas, Satavahanas, and Kalingas are unclear, what is clear is that Scythian tribes, renamed Indo-Scythians, brought about the demise of the Indo-Greeks from around 70 BCE and retained lands in the trans-Indus, the region of Mathura, and Gujarat. For other uses of the term Sunga see Sunga (disambiguation The Sunga Empire (or Shunga Empire) is a Magadha The Sātavāhanas ( Marathi: सातवाहन Telugu:శాతవాహనులు were a Dynasty which ruled from Junnar ( Kalinga was a Kingdom in central-eastern India, which comprised most of the modern state of Orissa, as well as some northern areas of the bordering state The Indo-Scythians are a branch of the Indo-Iranian Sakas ( Scythians) who migrated from southern Siberia into Bactria, Year 70 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome August — In Rome, Cicero prosecutes Mathura ( IAST mathurā)( Hindi: मथुरा is a holy City in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

The Empire To Modern Indians

Having been India's first major empire, the Maurya Empire holds a special place in the minds of Indian people: Indians feel pride to this day in recalling the great political and military power the Empire held in its day, and the spirituality and piety of Ashoka, who kept war and violence away from his people. The media in India also has produced works based upon Mauryan times:

• Chanakya (early 1990s) was a Hindi television series that depicted the life and philosophy of Kautilya Chanakya, from fighting Alexander's invasion to the coronation of Chandragupta Maurya. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi starring Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi himself as Chanakya and Animesh Dwivedi as Chandragupta Maurya.
• Asoka (2001) is a Hindi film by Santosh Sivan starring Shahrukh Khan as the Emperor Ashoka, depicting his aggressive youth, early impetuous rule, and his transformation following the war in Kalinga. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Santosh Sivan (born in Trivandrum, Kerala) is an Indian Cinematographer and Film director. The film, however, does not claim that its portrayal of Ashoka's life is historically accurate.
• Chanakya Chandragupta (1977) is Telugu film by N.T. Rama Rao starring legendary actors Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Chanakya and N.T. Rama Rao as Chandragupta Maurya. Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao ( Telugu:నందమూరి తారక రామా రావు( 28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996 Akkineni Nageswara Rao (born September 20, 1924 at Venkataraghavapuram Dist Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao ( Telugu:నందమూరి తారక రామా రావు( 28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996

See also

• Dhangar

Notes

History of South Asia (Indian Subcontinent)
Stone Age	70,000–3300 BCE
• Mehrgarh Culture	• 7000–3300 BCE
Indus Valley Civilization	3300–1700 BCE
Late Harappan Culture	1700–1300 BCE
Vedic period	1500–500 BCE
Iron Age	1200–300 BCE
• Maha Janapadas	• 700–300 BCE
• Magadha Empire	• 545 BCE - 550
• Maurya Empire	• 321–184 BCE
Middle Kingdoms	250 BCE–1279 CE
• Chola Empire	• 250 BCE–1070 CE
• Satavahana	• 230 BCE–220 CE
• Kushan Empire	• 60–240 CE
• Gupta Empire	• 280–550 CE
• Pala Empire	• 750–1174 CE
• Chalukya Dynasty	• 543–753 CE
• Rashtrakuta	• 753–982 CE
• Western Chalukya Empire	• 973–1189 CE
• Hoysala Empire	1040–1346
• Kakatiya Empire	1083–1323
Islamic Sultanates	1206–1596
• Delhi Sultanate	• 1206–1526
• Deccan Sultanates	• 1490–1596
Ahom Kingdom	1228–1826
Vijayanagara Empire	1336–1646
Mughal Empire	1526–1858
Maratha Empire	1674–1818
Sikh Confederacy	1716–1799
Sikh Empire	1801–1849
British East India Company	1757–1858
British Raj	1858–1947
Modern States	1947–present
Nation histories Bangladesh • Bhutan • Republic of India Maldives • Nepal • Pakistan • Sri Lanka
Regional histories Assam • Balochistan • Bengal Himachal Pradesh • Orissa • Pakistani Regions North India • South India • Tibet
Specialised histories Coinage • Dynasties • Economy Indology • Language • Literature • Maritime Military • Science and Technology • Timeline
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See also

• Mauryan art

References

• Robert Morkot, The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece ISBN 0140513353
• Chanakya, Arthashastra ISBN 0140446036
• J. The Mauryan Empire of the 4th to 2nd century BCE was the first empire to rule over most of the Indian subcontinent. Chanakya Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c 350-283 BC was an adviser and a Prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor F. C. Fuller, The Generalship of Alexander the Great ISBN 0306813300

External links

• The Mauryan Empire at All Empires
• Livius.org: Maurya dynasty
• Mauryan Empire of India
• Extent of the Empire
• The Mauryan Empire from Britannica
• Ashoka and Buddhism
• Ashoka's Edicts